Batman vs Superman: Justice League Begins
by The Real Cas
Summary: In a retelling of BvS, Batman has a different reasoning for conflicting with Superman. Batman's daughter, Huntress, is conflicted between her personal feelings and what is right when the Man of Steel is the most controversial vigilante worldwide after the events in Metropolis with the fall of General Zod. We see more from her perspective how the Justice League forms and prospers.
1. First Contact

Thunderous sounds crashed into the ears of all within the city. Buildings toppled like dominos in the rubble below. The cacophony of technological whines screeched through the air, stinging the sensitive ears of all around.

Bruce Wayne drove aggressively through the streets, dodging all the debris and other falling fodder. Screams and cries heard throughout the region were not unknown to him, so it was easy to block out. In the passenger of his Jeep, Helena Wayne sat on the edge of her seat wide eyed. She gritted her teeth uncomfortably, clearly trying to mask her panic. Though she learned how to keep her calm in highly dangerous and stressful situations, she couldn't be balanced.

"Dad, are you sure that he is ok?" Helena asked in a low deep voice. Hiding her cracking voice, Bruce answered unwavering, "He will be. You know Jason; he's a fighter like us."

Throngs of people ran the opposite direction where they headed, most of the noise deafened Helena, but then ring silently between the pulses of the large spacecraft that drilled its way into Metropolis. Jason Todd, simply known as the Red Hood, was trying to help evacuate the Wayne Tower located in Metropolis. Helena, simply known as the Huntress to the media, was on her way to rescue him. Bruce, famously known as the Batman, sped through the wreckage of the city to not only help people from the invasion, but to save Jason.

His reasoning to save Jason was more than just because he was a close friend and ally to help Bruce save others in the destruction of the urban terrorism, but because he knew Bruce couldn't fail his daughter. Bruce's mind's eye flashed to the day his parents died, remembering the very details of how it happened. He promised himself that day that no one would ever feel what he felt that day. Bruce swore to protect and serve-even illegally-without murder or guns, to keep people safe from the wicked.

The day Bruce broke his promise was when his son Damian Wayne died as his protégé, Robin. Bruce never agreed with the idea that his daughter, Helena, was a vigilante like him, he reluctantly allowed her to. The only comfort was that she, although only in part due to her mother, was a metahuman who had multiple lives. Unlike his half-sister, Damian was full human and died as a hero. Though he was retired as the Batman, Helena continued his work with the help of both Alfred and himself. Helena was fortunate in the sense that she had her father and Alfred as an adoptive grandfather, but suffered the sorrow of a dead mother and half-brother.

Both Bruce and Helena knew in this very moment, Jason could be alive or dead. Their friend was in the roar of hell, and they not wanting to bear another loss came for him. Jason suffered his own losses as a youngster with abusive parents. Running away he became a thug and tried to steal tires from the Batmobile, but Batman took him in as his protégé for a better life. Jason and Helena eventually began dating, to Bruce's disapproval. He always told Helena that no one, especially in Gotham, was good enough for her. If he had his way, Helena would never see Jason again. Bruce would feel guilty over this thought.

Helena and Jason were engaged, and from her perspective, Bruce warmed up to Jason. After all, they were perfect for each other; it wasn't like anyone in their family could ever have a "normal" life with others if they wanted it or not. Helena wanted to tell her father and Alfred that Jason and she were going to leave Gotham and live in a secluded place in Italy. Though she didn't tell her father about her's and Jason's "early retirement" from being a vigilante-which would make Bruce happy-it would depress him to know that Bruce's two family members outside of Alfred would leave him. "It's only temporary, not forever, we can always visit," Helena thought to herself. Bruce and Helena always crowded each other in the mansion; however, Thanksgiving and Christmas might not be enough visits for her father either. There was an in between needed between the couple's space and Bruce's. Alfred fortunately kept his distance perfectly.

Of all these thoughts that ran through their heads, in spite of the raging chaos, they focused on Jason. Alfred spoke over the earpieces, "You're almost there."

"Grandpa, did you get in contact with Jason yet? I'm having difficulty reaching his signal, I think it's the UFO-" She was cut off as the Jeep to a sharp right as Bruce helmed the speeding machine.

"Alfred, do you have his specific location? I'm calling the office now." Alfred responded, "You better hurry, I'm detecting a few bogies near you a few hundred meters ahead." Helena called out, "Use standard measurements please; I can't convert numbers in this noise!" Helena called out over the chaos that grew louder causing them to lose contact with Alfred. Their voices raised but were drowned out.

Slamming to a halt, Helena hit the tip of her forehead on the dash. Bruce said, "Sorry," while pulling her left shoulder upright. "I'm all right, but we need to find him." Getting out of the car, they both ran towards the Wayne Tower on foot since the debris was too much for the Jeep to handle. Helena's hairline was matted with blood, sweat and adrenaline pumped through her. Bruce used his phone to call inside the office pausing to watch the battle between the two aliens in the sky. Helena pushed forward.

The UFO near the Tower caused a wake of destruction, but the tipping point was when the small figure of General Zod and the other alien crashed into Wayne Tower. Helena ran toward the falling building for Jason like an idiot. Bruce watched, petrified.

"HELENA!" Bruce screamed with all his might. He ran for her, pulling her back. She resisted very well-which few could do against the Batman-scrambling for the Tower crying for Jason. Bruce held her back tightly. Pausing as the building finished falling, the massive dust clouds came, and the two ran into it. Bruce saw and helped a man pinned under a metal bar frame, but Helena searched on. In the sky, people watched as the famed Superman saved everyone when the UFO imploded and disappeared, as he took Zod elsewhere.

Eerie silence fell over metropolis as the dust settled. Helena's screams could be heard much better. "JASON! JASON! JASON!" Suddenly, Helena heard her name, "Helena!" Her head snapped his direction. Jason held a small girl. Bruce was catching up with Helena seeing Jason as well. A large concrete structure fell and fragmented near Jason, who turned his head behind him to visually absorb his impending doom. Jason threw the girl out of the way, yelping as she landed out of view. Helena couldn't run fast enough to Jason as she yelled out his name, "JASON!" Bruce called out for the both of them, trying to close the distance. Helena got to Jason first, "No no no no no! Jason, talk to me baby, talk to me!" Helena found Jason and saw that he was unconscious and pinned belly down by his back by a concrete fragment. Bruce caught up and helped her lift it off of him, just as Bruce did for the other man. Helena held Jason's now freed torso to her own, cradling his upper half to her. The image of La Pieta for some reason came into Bruce's mind as he saw his daughter hold her fiancé on the ground in a similar manner amongst all the slabs and rocks.

"Jason I love you, help's on the way." She sobbed.

"Helena, I love you. In the end it's ok, if it's not ok, it's not the end. Don't be scar-" He gurgled and coughed quietly. The final wheeze exhaled turned into silence, and the light left Jason's eyes. Blood drenched the ground, and Jason's handsome dirty face was vacant of life. Helena screamed and cried out.

Looking at the child who Jason saved, Bruce went over to her and asked her where her parents were. Pointing quietly with dried tears on her face, the child looked to the decimated building. Drawing in close, Bruce held the little girl close to him while taking his other arm around Helena's shoulders. Helena, still bent sobbing over Jason's lying form, was inconsolable. Bruce realized how he felt loss both personally from his friendship with Jason, but also loss of his daughter. The failure to protect her from loss and the feeling of guilt of sending Jason to the office that day must've killed whatever trust Helena had in Bruce. Bruce's empathy for his daughter's loss was an all too familiar feeling.

To his surprise Helena darkly said, "That man…whoever he is…is responsible for my beloved's death. Just because he saved many, he did so at great cost, and for me…it was the greatest price I've ever paid." Tears streamed down her face as she looked angrily at the sky. Bruce also looked to the sky feeling similarly. It was then they realized it was an "us versus them," but in the moment of Jason's death it meant that Superman no longer got the benefit of the doubt as a protector of humanity from either Bruce or Helena, but as a dormant threat like Zod.

Their epiphany would shape what was to come for a long time.

* * *

 *****TWO YEARS LATER*****

* * *

Bruce walked into the Batcave with Alfred so they could work on a few gadgets that needed modification. Helena sat on a bench looking at a computer screen. Pulling out a cigarette, she took a long inhale and sighed. Alfred walked over and asked, "Helena, when did you pick up smoking?"

"This morning Alfred. It's not like I can die anyway." Helena replied nihilistically. Alfred looked at the poor girl. "I know you are grieving but do you honestly think that your self-destruction will bring him back?" Alfred asked gently.

"No. You didn't give me a reason not to be self-destructive. I have one goal and it's not saintly." Helena responded. Bruce peered over her looking at a picture of Superman. Bruce attempted to help, "I've noticed you call us by our names…"

"Yeah, so? You want me to continue to call you by our relationship 'daddy.'" Helena rolled her eyes sarcastically. They all knew Alfred and Bruce were the only family Helena had left but she cut herself off so if they did get hurt, she wouldn't feel as strong of loss. Just like Bruce after Damian's death, Helena became more brutal and violent with criminals than before. Now her only life was that of being a vigilante like her father. It was funny how two years ago she wanted to leave the lifestyle and now she wanted nothing but that. Bruce never encouraged her out of her grief because his grief forged him to be a dark guardian of peace in Gotham. He hated that his little girl didn't come out of Gotham as a good unscathed girl; instead, she became a darker version of him. Bruce thought he'd be a hypocrite if he told her to snap out of it.

Alfred on the other hand loved her enough to try and save the girl from her self-destructing grief-even if she did have multiple lives as her power.

"You know in your religion, self-destruction without asking for forgiveness leads to eternal Hell. I think you ought to consider doing well by your health so when you die you might be reunited with Jason in Heaven. I'm confident that God would put him there for you." Alfred tried to appeal to Helena's Catholicism after growing up with some influence from her mother's side of the family.

"I may not give a damn about my habits," Helena gestured to her smokes and drinks on the table by her computer, "But I'm not gonna jump off a damn bridge. I appreciate the concern but I already considered what you said anyways. Besides, I'm still trying to figure out if I am even able to die permanently, like mom."

Helena referenced to her enigmatic metahuman mother; Selena's power of multiple lives as well. Both Bruce and Helena figured out that her mother can heal from wounds that no normal person can like the mythical "cat with nine-lives." They suspected as long as the central nervous system isn't severely damaged, and no organs, limbs, or her head was removed; any trauma can render her unconscious and momentarily stopping other body systems. This gives the death-like state, but regenerates them back to life. Selena "died" thirteen times from fatal stab wounds, bullets, bleeding out, drowning, poisonous gasses, and such. Yet, the Joker simply snapped Selena's neck and she permanently died in front of Bruce and Helena. Since then, they suspected that Helena was the same way given that she has "died" about 27 times, or so they kept track of. After a while, it seemed normal and so they lost count for it seemed pointless to. Until Helena is permanently dead, they never really worried.

For the sake of Alfred's paternalism and Bruce's, Helena snuffed out the cigarette by burning it into her shoulder. She knocked her drinks and cigarettes into the garbage, but kept some fast food bags. Alfred smiled feeling accomplished that even in Helena's grief he could still help her out even in the smallest ways like her health.

Alfred walked over to the cowl to fidget with the voice modifier. Bruce came over to look at what Helena was working on. "I've run some more numbers into the system on Superman. I think I know his peak speed in flight as well as on the ground from these reports I've read. His strength also seems to improve with daylight given the flux in the average weight he can lift based on different cases. I've also recorded his other abilities in detail. I've already sent you some files. By the way, you still need to chase a few leads on various metals that can build you a better armor for the car; then again it could be used for other things. There's also news that Lex Luthor is trying to import something from the Indian Ocean from the Kryptonian wreckage with the politician's help. That might be a lead for us." Bruce scanned over her work and said, "Then let's go investigate. You want to meet Lex, Helena?"

Alfred's hand popped up, "I already have an invitation for you both to go to his gala." Helena smiled slightly, "You never cease to amaze." Bruce smiled at the fact that this was the first time in a long while that Helena seemed like herself in that small smile.


	2. The Gala

Helena came down the grand staircase dressed in a long flowing silk black dress with a deep V-plunging neckline that ended at the bottom of her sternum. She had a simple necklace from her mother a locket that had Selena's picture; the only thing she kept from Selena before her untimely death. Helena reminisced over her ins and outs of her dance with vigilantism. Helena was trained to protect herself but she felt she failed to protect her mother from being violated and murdered by the world's cruelest clown right in front of her. Batman saved Huntress in the nick of time, but was too late for her mother.

Helena had under gone much trauma in her life but always came out a little stronger and darker each time. She considered herself a dark avenger in the world, but now she seemed almost powerless as a metahuman, now knowing that the Earth was no longer the source of life…

She thought to herself of what her mother would do in her shoes if she were still alive, but it was useless. Helena pushed back her raven hair over her shoulders. At the bottom of the stairs her father and Alfred waited in their tuxes for the gala's evening to gain information on Superman from Lex Luthor's new building. Bruce looked at his daughter stating, "You look lovely but shouldn't you cover up right there?" he looked towards the top, gesturing with his hands. Alfred laughed, cutting off Helena, "Master Bruce, I think she is in fashion even if she is your daughter." Bruce nodded with his smirk, "I know but still."

She looked at Bruce with a raised eyebrow, "I understand if my attractiveness makes you uncomfortable because I'm your daughter but as I recall, you gave up your fatherly duties long ago." Her words stung him but he replied, "Fair enough. In that case if Alfred is all right with it, I'll be too."

Long ago before Helena was born, Bruce had many students that were like children to him, including his own son, Damian. Unfortunately, Dick Grayson grew up and went his own way as the vigilante known as Nightwing. Every now and then he'd receive help from the first caped crusader, but he wouldn't stick around long. Bruce knew every man had to go his own way, and happily let him do so; he did so with most of his students proudly. The unfortunate part is that most of them died in their line of work or disappeared completely. At least, Bruce knew where they were it's just they wanted to live their own lives hidden from all others, and he obliged. Barbra and Dick were the only ones who remained somewhat close, even through the years they'd met Helena and had a few holidays spent together, but never any cases. Barbra Gordon left her life of vigilantism after being shot by the Joker and instead took up the badge by doing cybersecurity and forensics for GPD. She was probably the closest out of all the students to Huntress. She was like the older sister she never had. The most curious student Helena met was her other half-brother, Terry McGinnis. He took up the Batman's mantle for a time, before leaving the life for his now wife. Helena was never particularly close as she wanted to be, out of fear of destroying his life with her mere presence. Bruce, Selena, and Helena always attracted the attention of the criminals they fought.

Cassandra Cain, Stephanie Brown, and Tim Drake were lost in the line of fire, before Helena was even alive. It had shaped Bruce to be reluctant in accepting any more protégés, but the final straw was the loss of his son and wife. He despises the idea of Helena's in and outings with the double life out of fear of what might occur. Realistically, she'd most likely outgrow him in age due to her rare mutation. It didn't stop Bruce or Selena from trying to protect Helena when she was an infant.

They'd actually gave up Helena to Selena's reformed sister, Irena Bertinelli. Selena ran away from her father Carmine Falcone in Italy to Gotham in hopes to start anew, but fell into some prostitution and thievery before donning her costumed identity. Irena married into the Bertinelli Crime family with her husband Thomas, but tried -like Selena- to leave. Since Irena and Thomas broke away, relatively safe, from the Falcone-Bertinelli crime family in another part of Italy; Selena and Bruce gave up their daughter to them. Helena grew up in danger either way, but Selena argued with Bruce that a simple gangster was better than a supervillanous clown. Bruce argued with Selena that she'd be in their protection than that of Irena and Thomas' even given the risks. They argued over it for many months before finally letting baby Helena go under the premise that she'd lead a normal life. Bruce and Selena would keep a distant eye on her without her knowledge; until one fateful night when Helena was ten years old. The crime family found the obscure family, shot Helena's adoptive parents (her aunt and uncle) in front of her and burned her house down with her in it.

Bruce was fortunate enough to stay near their home to be close without really contacting their daughter for the past ten years, and it paid off on that night. Bruce saved Helena from the burning home, but not able to recover the deceased Bertinellis. From there Bruce, Helena, Selena, and Alfred returned to Gotham to raise their family in a more protective, discreet, and safe means than the obscure Italian home that failed them. Helena grew accustomed to her real "new" family, finally learning the truth and tried to stay away from dual lifestyles but did it anyway for self-defense. When Helena was eighteen, Selena was murdered, and for a time Helena walked away from life altogether. When Jason came along Helena felt with him she could do anything, just as he could with her…but alas it wasn't meant to be. Now at 23, Helena embraced the sole identity of the dark avenger people came to know as Huntress.

Only Alfred and Bruce actually called her by her name and most others in her life referred to her as Ms. Wayne but all others including her knew her as only the Huntress.

Here she was standing beside her father and Alfred, heading to the gala, seeking out information that if they needed to, they'd kill for. Helena died long ago with her innocence when her first set of parents died, but after Damian and Jason's death, and the distance between her and her now estranged Terry; she is, was, and always will be a killer of killers to protect good people from the other horrors. She knew that when she was done with her crusade, she'd face the justice that awaits her, but for now dark justice is all she is able to give in the ongoing battle. Bruce and Alfred in her mind were just tagging along for the ride in the dichotomous world they lived in.

Superman was the new target that they both sought. Even though Helena could actually forgive Superman for the death of her beloved, she could not forgive him of his potential on their world-and her father agreed.

In times of peace all were held accountable for their pasts regardless of intent, but until the war comes that seeks allies born from good intent, Huntress would strike down Superman where he stood. One part of her wanted Superman to prove her wrong by being a protector of good people on earth so that all metahumans could keep this world safe from any dire threat, but it was only a small part of her mind, calculating any and every possible scenario from the moment Zod appeared in the sky until now. Unless that was the case though, she continued her current mission, uncertain which way the future may go.

Alfred stayed behind in the Batcave for their reconnaissance, but Bruce and Helena left the new Wayne Manor to the gala.

As they both stepped out of the car, photographers, cameramen, and journalists swarmed around them as their car was taken by the valet. One man stood tall out of the crowd with thick framed glasses that held a guarded posture. Helena took brief notice of him, but disregarded her gut. The flashing lights of the crowd invaded the Wayne's' personal bubbles as they entered in inside the building.

"Ms. Wayne! Ms. Wayne! Ms. Wayne!" One journalist called. Helena turned to look at the reporter closest to her, the rest swarmed around like fleas to wolves.

"What are your thoughts on tonight's gala for Lex donating money to the public libraries?"

"Well I do support charities for the education of young children. I was fortunate enough to inherit family money to go to school, but like Luthor I seek to help others at any cost." Helena replied.

Another reporter cut in, "Our sources verify what you said, but do you also attribute your charity from your loss two years ago? Our source indicates that you give generously but your majority profits from your family's company were given in the reformation after the alien attack, which was a staggering increase by 80% more than before. Is it because you lost your fiancé, Jason Todd?"

The question caught her off guard. It was true she gave away money to charities by the boatload and even more so after the First Contact attacks-as people coined them-to help rebuild and console folks in some way, shape, or form. It probably was due to Jason's death. But by God, Helena didn't like it when reporters asked about Jason.

She stood there thinking of Jason silently, as cameras flashed, tapes rolled, and reporters with recorders waited for her response. "I lost the love of my life and I know plenty of others did too. I help where and when I cannot out of love for the limelight or political gain. I know that I'd rather focus on the survivors than reminisce over my loss. I think of Jason and what he'd want me to do, so I carry on as we all kind of do." The journalists seemed enthralled by her answer but fished further, "By carry on have you found a new man in your life?"

Helena thought for a moment in a witty fashion, "You could say that. I've known of this man for two years and I'm on the hunt for him. He's not expecting me yet though." She referred to her vengeance, but the confused and chuckling crowd tried asking her for more, but she turned to head inside.

Inside everyone gathered around for Lex's speech but Helena hovered near her father. "Do you know where it is? Or do I need to hunt?"

"Alfred will let us know, for now enjoy the evening Helena." Bruce said quietly in the crowd that fell silent.

They stood there and Helena observed the crowd that looked intently at Lex's ravings and ramblings. A woman elegantly dressed in front of Bruce turned around at looked at him; he smiled his classic half upturned smile at her. Helena squeezed her father's bicep with her claws; he looked at her and rolled her eyes. Helena looked at the woman who now directed her gaze towards back at Helena. It was like a fierce stare off contest, where Helena tried her best to scare off the woman. Surprisingly she didn't flinch when Helena pulled out a key move. Helena changed her eyes to slits like how cats do when angry.

Part of the reason Selena took on the moniker of a cat is because her metahuman abilities allowed her to hear and smell better than average, see in the dark with human or "catty" eyes, and the inability to die easy. Her parents speculated that it was an evolutionary leap forward from humans to metahumans, but Helena knew from research that other metahumans had superior or different abilities. Here, she just used her eyes to warn the woman to not approach her father, not see in the dark. Though dusk fell as seen through the windows, the woman just turned away indifferent. It surprised Helena, but it was very well known to the media that Helena despises anyone who tries to replace her mother. Although Helena was not particularly fond of Bruce or Selena, they were still hers.

Bruce's ear piece echoed in his ears, "If you go down stairs to the left and keep going past the kitchen, the cables you'll need to get the data from is behind the mainframe casing. I'll disable LexCorp firewalls to give you a ten minute window before they're notified of the robbery. I'd go now while everyone is distracted."

Helena's earrings relayed the same info, but to a lower decibel so as to not hurt her sensitive ears. Helena turned to leave with her father, but her motioned for her to stay. Helena blended into the crowd easier than he did since she was younger, and did so.

Bruce left with a quick pace, but Helena noticed that the woman from earlier turned to look at her father leaving. Helena growled quietly, but the woman paid no notice and left through the inattentive crowd. The man with thick-framed glasses from the paparazzi looked at her intently, but Helena looked back at him curiously. Moving forward through the crowd, she was far enough from him to not pose a threat, but close enough to smell him from the distance. He smelled unique, as most do, but she couldn't put her finger on it. It must've been the cologne and something he ate several hours ago, she thought. It didn't seem to match though. When he turned around Helena hovered back towards the end of the crowd, still listening to Luthor's ridiculousness.

Luthor must have issues, Helena thought to herself. Whispering, Helena said, "Who else would want to hack into LexCorp Alfred?"

"Superman fanatics or the government men, why? "Alfred half-joked. "I don't think we are alone." Helena whispered. The man with the thick-framed glasses turned around towards her. In an instant she knew who he was, because no one could hear Alfred even if they heard her. So, Helena flashed her brown cat eyes dangerously towards him. He knew that Helena was not just a random socialite in the room now.

Bruce came back next to Helena quietly. Though others paid no notice to Bruce's return, it was always noticeable to Helena for obvious reasons. Lex concluded his speech and people moved about freely around them. Bruce turned to Helena, "Did I miss anything?"

"Not yet." Helena said, eyes locked on the man with the glasses. He followed her gaze, but almost disregarded it thinking she was looking at a potential boyfriend. They turned to leave, but the man with glasses came forward, "Mr. Wayne," he softly said. Bruce almost shrugged him off until he asked his opinion about the Batman and Superman. In that instant, Bruce realized that both his daughter and he were standing in the company of the Superman. Superman also realized that he was in the company of both the Batman and Huntress.

…"When you live in Gotham long enough, you get tired of psychotic clowns." Bruce responded.

Mr. Clark Kent, as he called himself, turned to Helena, "I'm sorry, I neglected to ask your name ma'am." He held out his hand and put on a kind smile with the eyes to match. Unblinking, Helena showed her cat eyes of warning, "I'm Helena Wayne, I'm his daughter." She motioned to Bruce Wayne, and gently shook Clark's hand, squeezing slightly.

"I see, you look lovely this evening. Nice dress. Is it cat couture?" He smiled quickly. Helena joked, "Thanks. You should see my favorite attire. It's specialized armor for hunting. But I'm sure this isn't your typical setting either, I bet you love to just fly by for a good story huh?" Before he could inquire further, Lex dropped in stating that he loved seeing people together.

The situation became quite awkward, until Bruce motioned for leaving. Helena turned to leave until Lex got ahold of her arm, "Whoa there, the night is young m'lady. I want to ask you a certain favor if I may." Helena looked about, Bruce and Clark and the bold woman were already gone, so it was only Helena and Lex.

"Mr. Luthor I'm sure we can schedule an appointment later but-" She was cut off when Lex leaned in to her ear and said, "Why the formality Huntress?"

She looked at him saying in a defensive tone, "Let's go somewhere quiet to talk."

"Of course, of course pretty lady." Lex put his scrawny arm around Helena's waist, guiding her to the upper levels. Helena wasn't scared of him but highly uncomfortable with people knowing her true self. It meant they sought to destroy rather than befriend.

Lex closed the doors to the study-like room. "Scotch?" He held up a glass shaking the ice. Helena shook her head, "What do you want Lex?"

He smiled slyly at her, leaning on a desk, sipping his scotch. "You know you're really pretty you should do modeling." He chirped. Setting his drink down he continued, "But I know what you're thinking, 'how do you know who I am' and the answer is simple. Blood."

Helena looked confused, but not completely baffled. She bled anytime she fought on the streets of Gotham, but even so it couldn't be connected to her. Most databases around the globe have been wiped by her hacking with Barbra's help. So how could Lex identify her with her own blood? Even her own father's blood was removed from records.

"You know I would not want to be on your bad side, or your father's. See I'm just a humble little man while you and your father are masked robin hoods like Zorro." Lex made swashbuckling whooshes with his hands and lips. Helena stood there as Lex encircled her saying, "So as I was saying. Blood. It does wonders what it can do. So take you for instance," He paced away from Helena grabbing another drink, "You fight and get a bloody nose or whatever, one of my guys tracks you down to wherever you were and plucks it from the street," Lex gestured with his hands that snatches air, "and I run it through LexCorp database, but oh yes you and daddy dearest erased all of those digital records hmm…"

Helena looked suspiciously at him, "But my pretty, paper is harder to find. So, methinks to myself, 'criminality must run into the family given the similar get-ups,'" He gestured to Helena's clothes. "It took a long time to find Selena Kyle's body, but fortunately she unlike you and daddy dearest left all kinds of records behind both paper and digital. Jackpot!" He clapped his hands in front of Helena's face trying to make her flinch. She didn't blink, but he humphed in disappointment. "So I ran a compatibility test with Huntress and Selena Kyle's blood, and bingo! It's a baby girl!" He gestured to Helena indicating the rest. Helena's birth certificate had Bruce, Selena, and Helena's names on it which was pretty easy to figure out.

"So for my favor pretty girl," Lex leaned forward toward her patronizingly with his hands in his lap as if calling an animal or child, "I want you to do something for me about our red caped friend."

Helena finally spoke, "What about Superman?"

Lex happily cheered, "Aha I'm glad you asked. See I know a lot of people's dirty secrets like you and your daddy do; so it isn't hard to figure out that you probably hold Superman responsible for the poor unfortunate Jason Todd's death. I know you and your daddy know who everyone is like I do, just like how right now you're already figuring me out Sherlock. Here's the thing though, even as unique as you are," Lex used his eyes to look up and down Helena's sleek black dress over her curvy body, "you're human like 'lil ole me. You and I are equally smart and we lead dual dangerous lives,"

"Arguably so." Helena interjected.

He smiled, "I want you to bring me Superman." Helena looked at him suspiciously, smelling his very air. Something didn't add up, his very heartbeat pattered inconsistently and his smell betrayed adrenaline and fear.

"In what condition?" Helena inquired.

"Oh I really like you. All business no fun! I want him back dead of course. Let me put it to you like this," He gestured to her locket with her mother's picture inside, "That has a cross on the outside doesn't it?"

Helena stated, "Yes but what does that have to do with Superman?"

"Everything!" Lex shouted angrily, "Everything." He softened his tone, "Do you still believe in your God, Helena? Mind if I call you Helena?" He picked up a pen and started fidgeting with it. Helena had an idea that he was going to compare Superman to God and so responded honestly, "Yes." She knew she was talking to a man with serious delusions and grandiose caricatures of himself and the world around him. She immediately would diagnose him as a borderline schizoid but generally insane. Her initial gut was telling her not to trust him, whatever he was going to propose.

"Ah. Well, you see with Superman being here it means that we aren't alone," He giggled while sitting himself on top of the desk while waving little fingers towards the sky, "Well if he is the symbol of hope and all that is good to the world, there has to be a yang to his yin. He brought with him General Zod last time, what opposite do you think he'll attract? Who?"

"I'm guessing you want me to eliminate him for future precautions?" Helena inquired.

"Bingo!" He shot his fingers at her like a pistol. "You see if he is dead, you can keep your God and avenge poor Jason, and ultimately save the world before it needs saving. Everyone wins."

"How do you win Lex?" Helena asked. "Well I know you'll figure that out but I've said too much already. If you agree I'll even give you access to all my toys, even some that daddy dearest won't let even you have. Do you accept?"

Helena stood there for a moment in silence trying to figure out how he can gain power or control or something from the death of Superman. Though he sold a good deal, in the long run it seemed evil, and she didn't trust him. As much as she disliked Superman, Lex seemed to know of a threat far worse. That was her new target.

Helena then said, "I'd do anything for Jason. I accept your offer Lex." He smiled happily buying it. In reality, Helena lied. Instead of hunting or leaving Superman be, Helena now knew she had to protect him from Luthor, her father, and even herself. With that, she left with a new mission in mind.


	3. Dilemmas for the Inner Child

Helena came home with a lot on her mind. What Lex offered tempted her, but she couldn't trust him. Trusting him was like trusting a predator when a rabbit is caught screaming because it's stuck in the fence. Before she left, Lex gave her a flash drive saying, "I know that daddy dearest, you, and I think similarly which is why I'm giving this to you…"

She looked at it carefully and said, "What is it? A kill code to something?"

Lex simply responded, "I'd like to call him Brainiac 5.0. He's an artificial intelligence, and he's better than his prototypes-trust me." He giggled thoughtfully. "It has information you'd kill for, but I have no doubt that you'll make plans around it…and you'll probably even insert it into your little supercomputer in that Batcave huh?" Lex looked at her with a smile that unsettled her, though she refused to show it.

"We'll see." Helena abruptly turned and walked out of the room with a flick of her skirt.

At home, she went immediately to the elevator after barging into the mansion. Alfred was most likely in bed and her father was God-knows-where. Descending into the lower levels, Helena put away the flashdrive, thinking over everything that had happened whilst in the lift. I wonder, she thought, if Bruce was in my position, would he let himself be played and used by Lex-or would he do the things that she was formulating on doing?

Who knows, she whispered in her head, after so much death in their lives, they lost some semblance of their innocence. When the doors opened, she stepped out into the low lighting, but the artificial yellow lights flicked on as she glided past with her proper upright posture, not missing a single step. She went over into her computer and inserted the drive, but as it was decrypting, she changed from her semi-formal attire into her work out gear. She kept a strict regimen so as to not let her body or mind fail her on missions. Helena knew that she wouldn't always succeed in a fight but it would be due to a simple mistake of complacency or mis-judgement of the environment. A wet floor doesn't seem like much, but it can make a huge difference when one is sporting a sprained ankle while brawling with assassins like Lady Shiva and Deathstroke. Helena knew she had to learn from failures but it was also easy to pinpoint what the failure was caused by rather than the fact that she was naturally a leaner smaller person than most hefty thugs.

Helena remembered one woman named Bertha and her twin Thomas were just hired muscle for Black Mask, and fighting both of them at the same time was no picnic. It was one of Helena's first field missions when she trained with her father. He always told her, "Your enemy may be physically bigger than you, use their weight and anger against them. The same principle can be applied to you as well, just because you're short and lean doesn't mean they can't unbalance you if you become emotionally involved in the situation." Her father was right, after all she blamed herself many a time when Harley and Joker easily overpowered her inexperienced self and ultimately led to the death of Selena.

When her father burst in and beat Joker and Harley to a bloody mess in front of her, Joker taunted to both Batman and Huntress, "Even with all your strength and intelligence I win 'cause she's not a-comin' back." He cackled a sickly uncomfortable chuckle. Those words haunted her since her mother's death. To the world Helena and Bruce were just rich folks who had no worries; but to her she was just a small student who failed, and her father in her eyes became half a man since his beloved equal died. Bruce, Jason, Helena, and all of the students of the Bat, lost and won many battles even with their varying lengths of experiences. Helena learned many things from Stephanie, Tim, and others even in the brief time she spent with them, and Helena felt she taught them something too. Still, Helena's insecurity always made her feel like the small young student of the Batman because of her failure to her mother, rather than the best protégé that he had-even if she was one of his actual children.

Both Bruce and Helena in spite of the difference in length of experience in field battles, Bruce was proud that Helena could stand up for herself just like her mother, brothers, boyfriend, and mentors like Barbra and even himself-though Helena didn't share his pride in her own accomplishments. He often told her that both he and Helena differed from the world in acting like both a sly fox and fearsome lion; or even as a rough tsunami and enduring river carving the canyons of stone. He often told her that perseverance, wisdom, strength, and balance were keys to success, and more often than not it worked for both of them since they both found the blend of those virtues.

In a way Helena identified with Jason who also once claimed to feel young, small, and child-like (especially back when he was), when he failed to save his father from gang members. It seemed that was the burden of the protégé-to be the small child while Bruce was the big father figure that kept all the bad boys and girls away from all of them.

Helena dressed in her armored body suit so she could get used to the heat in the battle. She thoughtfully analyzed her own psyche, maybe that's why she viewed herself as small, not just because she's short for her age (and Bruce even told her being five foot seven is normal for folks in their early twenties) but because she failed as a student and child, given that her parents were her teachers, both sets of them. Bruce would tell Helena that he felt if the timing was perfect that Helena, Selena, Damian, Terry, the others and even himself, were equally great at defeating evil forces lurking in the world; but it wasn't meant to be simply because fate had different part they needed to play.

Helena began with the automated and randomized system of mannequins that would pop up in the makeshift alley where she could practice her crossbow shooting. Perfecting each shot by precisely aiming it in a mere blink was an art in of itself, adding Helena's other skills of MMA styled fighting and you have one terrifying vigilante. Yet, she doesn't seem all that scary anymore now that other metahumans and demigods-as the newspapers are now calling Superman-possess abilities that rival even her own. The flashdrive blinked its completion from the code Helena entered in earlier to decrypt it, but she was more intently fixated on her practice. Her focus on this mock battle was more important at the moment, for she didn't want to become a complacent fat cat. Even though she was doing a phenomenal job at it, her mind wandered to a place where it was just Helena and her parents on the streets as a team. She imagined that she felt more confident that they had her back and she had theirs in the heat of war on criminality. This was probably another motivating drive for her to be a perfectionistic vigilante, but who really knew?

Helena kept fighting, but decided not to ponder over these blurry thoughts over her dead boyfriend and her dead mother or anything else. She fought on, clearing her mind and became even more agile and accurate with each swift kick, punch, shot, and take down on the lifeless foam androids. Helena was almost done until she heard shuffling of feet from the elevator, but without even looking she knew Alfred was awake. Smelling his coffee and aftershave, she continued fighting without rest.

"Good morning dear. I suppose you did not sleep last night?" He guessed by the way Helena was initially ignoring him in her self-training. The mug had a small picture of Helena as a ten year old hugging a younger Alfred in a cozy setting, Alfred always had his coffee and tea from it.

"What time is it?" Helena huffed, panting her way out of the mini maze of thin white drywall that lowered itself into the ground with the android. The timer buzzed as the setting automatically put itself away. Helena walked from the enclosed arena, hopping over the hip-high gate that separated the arena to the bridge that went to the workbench and computer area of the Batcave; and Helena strongly strolled to the computer past Alfred who was standing near the workbench by the stairs and suits in front of the elevator.

"Just like your father. You know sleep is a biological requirement even if you are immortal. It's half past six in the morning, since you asked." He took a sip, overlooking his thick brimmed glasses at her. She looked back at him, and then faced the computer, "I know I don't sleep long, but last night I couldn't sleep at all. So I trained." She typed away on the keyboard minding herself.

"I see you trained with the crossbow today." He stated. Helena looked back at him with her eyes that said 'I just said I trained.' He then inquired, "So what, pray tell, upset my darling girl, hmm?" she pulled up a chair beside her.

"You think you know me Alfred?" She asked with a smirk.

"I bloody well ought to, I diapered your bottom little miss. You and your father's." Alfred quipped. They both knew that of all offensive weapons she used, the crossbow was her final ultimate weapon of destruction since she modified her arrowheads to have poisoned edges that would hook itself in the muscle if it was pulled out the opposite way. It was meant to be torturous, because most of the time Helena just simply defeated her enemies with her fists and their own weapons against them. If she used her own weapon, it was a definite sign that she wasn't going to be merciful. Of course, these days it became a primary weapon rather than her former last resort like when she started out, but she practiced with it intermittently in comparison to her other training she does.

"I have a dilemma is all. It's not too difficult though." Helena tried to lie, but it was too transparent.

"Clearly." Alfred snorted, "Your father's not back from last night. He's probably at the glass lake house with some woman he picked up from the gala. Is that why you're angry?" Helena busted out, "Ha! As if. I've grown numb to his sexual exploits, it's if his heart gets taken that's when I'll be jealous, but that'll never happen. He loves mom too much. Just like the rest of us." She smiled to herself but then Alfred said, "What happened last night, Helena?"

"I met him last night. I was also given a choice to take him down, but it was the method in which to do it that's causing my dilemma." Helena responded. Alfred exhaled the sigh of a tired sad old man, "I really wish you and your father would realize that he is not our enemy."

Helena clenched her teeth, "Perhaps not today, we of all people know better. I think you are the only moral man I've known who hasn't had his hands tainted with blood, and I respect that. In another world I'd view him as the hope of the world like you and the rest of the populace does, but it doesn't guarantee that he'll be good forever-and trust me I'll know longer than anyone. Everyone has their good and bad qualities; one just has to know the trigger points. But the ticking time bomb and his motives doesn't concern me at the moment, a different threat does."

"Who?"

"I don't yet know, but I'm going to find out and why Lex Luthor is hiding him." Helena resolved.


End file.
